The present invention relates to an animal stall associated with an apparatus for performing an animal related operation, said stall being provided with an entrance gate and an exit gate. It also relates to a method of performing an animal related operation in such an animal stall.
An apparatus and a method of this kind is disclosed in EP-A-0 451 906.
In order to efficiently perform milking of an animal it is common to keep the animal in a milking stall. Such milking stalls are accordingly used not only for manual milking (manual attachment and detachment of teatcups) or semi-automatic milking (manual attachment and automatic detachment of teatcups), but also for automatic milking (automatic attachment and detachment of teatcups).
Different kinds of milking stalls for forcing an animal into a desired position in the milking stall have been suggested. One of them is the above cited EP-A-0 451 906, in which it is suggested to utilise the entrance gate of the stall to force a cow into a desired position and to maintain i.a. the gate in contact with the cow for maintaining her in said position. To this end, a locking device for the gate is provided. After performed positioning of the cow, teatcups are attached to her teats by means of a milking robot arm.
However, in case force is used on a cow (or any milking animal) while it enters the milking stall, she may be reluctant to enter the stall the following times she is to be milked, which may cause that the milking robot is not utilised as much as it could be. Force used on the cow may also affect the milk yield, as a cow under stress may not produce as much milk as it would, in case it felt comfortable.
It is thus the object of the invention to obtain an animal stall, that overcomes these and other disadvantages.
This has been solved by an animal stall of the initially defined kind, which is characterised in that a gate sensor means, associated with a control means, is furthermore associated with at least said entrance gate for checking whether said gate is closed.
It has also been solved by a method of the initially defined kind, which is characterised by checking by means of a gate sensor means, associated with a control means, whether at least said entrance gate is closed, said control means being associated with said gate.
Hereby is achieved a possibility to check whether the animal has correctly entered the stall, i.e. that it has not become clamped by the entrance gate. Furthermore, it is possible to check that the gate is working in a normal way.
Suitably, said control means is adapted to control a driving means adapted to perform either of an opening movement and a closing movement. Hereby, it is possible to open and close the gate as desired.
In case the gate has not been closed within a predetermined period of time, it may be assumed that the cow has become clamped by the entrance gate. Accordingly, a first timer means is adapted to measure a period of time from a defined starting point, and wherein in case said sensor means has not sensed that said gate is closed within a predetermined period of time, said driving means is controlled by said control means to perform an opening movement of said gate. Hereby, the animal is let loose again, so that it can either enter the stall properly, or leave the stall.
Preferably, said starting point is the point in time when the control means starts controlling said driving means to perform a closing movement. Furthermore, an animal presence sensor means associated with the control means is provided to for sense the presence of an animal in the animal stall. Furthermore, said animal presence sensor is associated with a second timer means for measuring the time lapsed from when the presence of an animal has been sensed, said second timer means being adapted to generate a signal to said control means after a predetermined period of time, said control means being adapted to control said driving means to perform said closing movement in response to said signal from said timing means. Hereby, simple starting indications are given to the control means.
Suitably, said animal presence sensor comprises one of a photo cell, a laser sensor and an ultrasonic sensor.
Preferably, said animal related means is adapted to perform said animal related operation in response to said control means in case said entrance gate is closed. Hereby, a starting signal for the animal related operation is given.
An animal may however stay in the position where it gets clamped e.g. because of illness. There is accordingly a need for ending the repetition of the closing movement. Thus, said control means is adapted to keep said gate open in case it has not been possible to close it properly after a predetermined period of time. Alternatively, or additionally, said control means is adapted to keep said gate open in case it has not been possible to close it properly after a predetermined number of attempts.
Suitably, said animal related means is provided with a robot arm for performing said animal related operation, said robot arm being associated with said control means.
Preferably, said robot arm is provided with a manipulating means for gripping an animal related member.
Suitably, said animal related member is one of a teatcup and a teat cleaning unit.
Preferably said gate sensor means comprises a tactile sensing unit.
Suitably, said tactile sensing unit comprises a toggle switch.
Preferably, said gate sensor means comprises a non-tactile sensing unit.
Suitably, said non-tactile sensing unit comprises one of an inductive sensor, a capacity sensor and a laser sensor.